Crazy Wisdom Bookstore, Ann Arbor, Mich., which closed in February 2022 after four decades in business, reopened December 1 in its original location at 114 S. Main St. MLive reported that owners Bill Zirinsky and Ruth Schekter "are happy to be bringing the popular bookstore back."

"Crazy Wisdom will be a simpler operation with fewer hours and a much smaller but still dedicated, staff, under the direction of general manager Chandra Mitchel," operations partner Rachel Pastiva noted.

The bookstore's "simplified operations include a more condensed inventory of books and the closure of the tearoom and conversion of that space for hosting events and gatherings," MLive wrote. Currently, the second-floor area is under renovation with plans to open sometime in spring 2024.

"Crazy Wisdom as a community gathering place is the driving force behind reopening so, while the tearoom will not be part of the new Crazy Wisdom, the events that took place there, and in the community room, certainly will be," said Pastiva, who had worked as its manager for nearly 11 years at the original store, until 2017. Zirinsky enlisted her help in spring 2022 to figure out what would be next for the business. 

"We've had to be very thoughtful with our decision making to be sure the choices we are making support the new simpler model we are creating," Pastiva noted, adding that the bookstore is "returning to its roots and focusing on the core subjects that longtime customers" have counted on, including spirituality and wisdom traditions, psychology, integrative health, body mind therapies and sustainability.

Pastiva felt "a deep sense of loss" when thinking about how the closure would impact Ann Arbor and said she is "honored" to be a part of its return: "Although we have a long history with our community, we want to make space for connecting with them in a new way. The community has been both surprised and delighted about the return of Crazy Wisdom."

Couth Buzzard Books, a used and new bookstore in the Greenwood neighborhood of Seattle, Wash., has been put up for sale. The Seattle Times reported that last March, owner Theo Dzielak thought his bookstore had reached the end of the line. "I decided to initiate closing the store because the pandemic finally caught up with us," he said. "I was getting deeper in debt and the grace period for the loans were coming due."

To his surprise, however, the community came together to launch a successful GoFundMe campaign, with more than 720 donors contributing to save the shop. But Dzielak still felt ready to retire, having been in the business since he was hired at the University Village Barnes & Noble in 2001, and later becoming a manager in 2004 at Couth Buzzard in its previous location. The Times noted that when the store was evicted, Dzielak teamed up with the original co-owner, Gerry Lovchik, to move to its present location at 8310 Greenwood Ave. N., and he eventually took over full ownership of the shop.

Since the crowdfunding success last spring, business has been good, and some of the store's supporters have formed a steering committee to find a way for the Couth to survive. 

"So now we're down to three options," Dzielak said. "Finding a nonprofit that will cover us, sell the store or close the store." Several potential buyers have inquired, but the conversations "haven't gone any place yet." He would like to reach some sort of resolution by summer 2024, and has requested that anyone interested in taking over the business reach out to talk with him. 

Dzielak believes that the Greenwood/Phinney community is uniquely suited to make a third place work, noting "It's a good mix of businesses and lots of single-family residences, and then right down the street we have the Greenwood Senior Center, and right up the road we have the Phinney neighborhood center. Out on the street, I see people walking their dogs and out with their families--it's already an established neighborhood."

Bel Canto's current location.

Bel Canto Books, one of the businesses that has operated within the Hangout collective in Long Beach, Calif., will move to a new standalone location by next spring at 2106 E. Fourth St. on Retro Row, within the former Relics lab. The Long Beach Post reported that for six years, the Hangout concept, "which housed various vendors and a cafe, brought together the Golden Garden, a shop founded by Tanya Bartels, and Bel Canto Books. That large space will close at the end of this year."

Founded by Filipina-American poet and former hospitality executive Jhoanna Belfer, Bel Canto Books highlights works by writers of color and other historically marginalized communities. 

"This new, larger location will allow us to expand our selection of handpicked books and gifts for adults and kids alike, as well as host new offerings like story time and community workshops, maybe even a book subscription service," Belfer said in a statement.

Bel Canto plans to maintain bookstore locations inside Steel Cup and KUBO LB, a collaborative collective workspace.

Centuries & Sleuths Bookstore, Forest Park, Ill., was put up for sale several months ago by owner Augie Aleksy. He recently told the Forest Park Review that while he had previously said he intended to retire at the end of the year whether he sold the store and building or not, "he was also very interested in making sure that the space remains a bookstore. If it takes a few more weeks to hash out the details, Aleksy said, then so be it."

He is currently entertaining two serious offers from two parties interested in using the space as a bookstore. They are negotiating details, and at least one potential buyer is trying to line up the necessary financing.

At this point, Aleksy doesn't expect the discussions to wrap up before the end of the year. Although he is eager to retire, he doesn't want to rush the process: "I don't think it would be wise for business to say--if you're not going to buy it by December 31, forget it."

He also observed that for all the frustrations of running a small business, he was proud that the store became a community hub, a place that many customers appreciated: "In the past 33 years, I've been lucky."

Books for You, Colorado Springs, Colo., which features used, rare, and new books, will be closing early next year after 34 years in business. The Colorado Gazette reported that owner Gretchen Goldberg plans to retire and hopes to sell her store's stock of 68,000 books, as well as the shelving. She had hoped to find a new owner, but was unable to and decided to let her upcoming lease expire.

"I'll be out sometime in February assuming we still have stock," Goldberg said. "The goal is to sell as much of it as I can."

Calling the bookshop's closing "bittersweet," Tyler Fenske, one of two part-time staff members, said, "Big congratulations to Gretchen.... I think it's very impressive to keep a bookstore open through a pandemic, through all the changes in technology, with Amazon and everything."

Goldberg said she will miss the shop, being around the books and serving her customers, without whom she couldn't have been successful: "That's where it gets hard. That's what I'll miss--is the people."

Ezekiel's Books and Gifts, a Christian bookstore and bakery, has opened in North Bend, Ore., the World reported.

Store owners Glenda and Mike Lanza run the store with the help of their son and daughter-in-law Mikey and Kaitlyn Turner. Located at 1966 Sherman Ave., Ezekiel's stocks Christian books, Bibles, and commentaries, along with nonbook items like slippers, scarves, and home decor. The bakery side of the business serves coffee, espresso drinks, and an assortment of baked goods, some of which Glenda Lanza bakes herself.

Lanza told the World it's been roughly 15 years since there was a dedicated Christian bookstore in North Bend, adding: "I know a lot of people have been wanting a Christian bookstore to find bibles and commentaries and other books, and we are excited to bring that back into the community."

The giant Christmas tree at New York City's Rockefeller Center may get all the attention, but there's one nearby that book lovers will especially appreciate, in the lobby of Simon & Schuster's offices. More than 1,000 books were included in the building of the tree, which is topped with the bestselling audio edition of The Woman in Me by Britney Spears. Check out this mockumentary on the massive undertaking, and this cool festive timelapse.

Posted on Instagram by Baldwin & Co. bookstore, New Orleans, La.: "Beauty in unity, it's such a beautiful sight to see Black people standing in line to buy books from a Black-owned bookstore @baldwinandcompany, eager to explore the realms of knowledge and stories that reflect their own experiences is a sight to behold.

"Let's continue to celebrate the power of representation, unity, and empowerment. It's a testament to the strength and resilience of our people that has long been underrepresented.

"Let's continue to support and uplift each other, ensuring that our narratives are heard, our stories are told, and our culture is celebrated. Spread the love, knowledge, and inspiration--because when we come together, beautiful things happen."

Sundog Books, Seaside, Fla., shared a photo of the shop's festive Christmas-themed chalkboard on Facebook, noting: "Keep an eye out tomorrow as we unveil the ultimate Sundog Books staff-curated gift guide. Perfect picks for everyone on your list coming soon... Stay tuned!"

At Chronicle Books:

Kate Herman is being promoted to director of sales, key accounts (national specialty, mass, and Barnes & Noble).

Anastasia Scott is being promoted to senior sales manager, institutional and trade.

Everyone But Myself: A Memoir by Julie Chavez (Zibby Books).

Tomorrow:
Today Show: Matt Adlard, author of Bake It Better: 70 Show-Stopping Recipes to Level Up Your Baking Skills (DK, $32, 9780744064902).

The Talk repeat: Cedric the Entertainer, author of Flipping Boxcars: A Novel (Amistad, $30, 9780063258990).

Live with Kelly and Mark: Leslie Jones, author of Leslie F*cking Jones (Grand Central, $30, 9781538706497).

Julie Plec's My So-Called Company and Universal Television have acquired the rights to Regina Black's debut novel, The Art of Scandal, with Plec attached as executive producer and Black as a consulting producer on the project, Deadline reported.

"I feel like I've been waiting for a book like this to come around for years," Plec said. "Regina really knocked this out of the park, allowing me to indulge in my favorite kind of television: a sexy, smart, multi-generational, multi-cultural soap."

--- 

Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television are adapting Dana Brown's memoir, Dilettante: True Tales of Excess, Triumph, and Disaster, for TV, Deadline reported. The book tells the story of Graydon Carter's protégé and how he navigated New York's media world in the 1990s. 

"I'm very focused on trying to get my book to TV screens," said Brown, adding that the scripted series based on his memoir is "close" to be taken out to broadcasters and streamers. "My book is under option at Warner Bros. with Berlanti, which is the best company in TV to be at and we are getting close to taking this thing out. I'm excited because a '90s New York show is my fantasy show."

For the first time, the Association of American Publishers has given its International Freedom to Publish Award not to any one publisher but to all publishing houses in multiple countries and regions of the world that continue to publish in the face of increased government pressure, harassment, and threats.  

AAP noted that as the organization engaged with potential nominees this year, some publishing houses under consideration expressed concern over increased public recognition, fearing additional reprisals from local governments for both the recognition and their underlying work of disseminating materials that are critical of current regimes or politicians, or depict underrepresented groups, including LGBTQ+ individuals. 

"From government censorship and book bans to harassment and arrests, pressure on the global publishing community has reached unprecedented levels," commented Terry Adams, chair, AAP Freedom to Publish Committee and digital and paperback publisher at Little, Brown. "This year we heard from numerous publishers from various parts of the world who were grateful to be considered for recognition, but who also live in fear of the additional scrutiny, harassment, and danger that such an honor might bring. As a result, this year's award is for the many houses who quietly fight the battle for free expression under impossibly difficult circumstances.
 
"We realize that the empty hole at the center of this year's award might seem to represent a missed opportunity to recognize some one individual publisher, and so in making this announcement we cannot emphasize strongly enough that the danger, the outrageous levels of censorship, the deep fears of reprisal, and the freedoms that are very much on the line make this the most important award we've ever given. 

"On behalf of AAP's Board of Directors and Freedom to Publish Committee, we send a loud and clear message to publishing professionals who are under siege for their bravery, their determination, and their sacrifice: we see you." 

LibraryReads, the nationwide library staff-picks list, offers the top 10 January titles public library staff across the country love:

Top Pick
Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett (Del Rey, $28, 9780593500194). "After the events of the first book, Emily sets a new goal of creating the first Map of the Folk. Her plans progress well until an attack from Wendell's stepmother forces Emily to embark on a quest for an elusive door. Will they find it this time? This fun series installment has fantastical new creatures and realms to discover, and the dynamic between Wendell and Emily is sweet and exciting. Recommended for fans of cozy academia with a dash of magic." --Lisa Leinhos, Marx Library, Ala.

The Busy Body by Kemper Donovan (John Scognamiglio, $27, 9781496744531). "A very talented ghostwriter signs on to help a failed female presidential candidate (shades of you know who!) write her memoir. Their initial work weekend is going well until there is a mysterious drowning next door. The politician feels called upon to investigate, taking her ghostwriter along--a Watson to her Holmes. An enjoyable mystery tale ensues." --Joan Hipp, Florham Park Public Library, N.J.

First Lie Wins: A Novel by Ashley Elston (‎Pamela Dorman Books, $28, 9780593492918). "Nothing is ever as it seems in this fast-paced novel. All the reader knows is that nothing about Evie is true. It's her job to lie and wrangle her way into situations, gather info, and create situations that put others at risk. Yet this time, things are different. During a con, someone shows up with her actual birth name and history. Perfect for readers who enjoy books with twists and turns around every corner." --Larissa Porach, Jefferson County Public Library, Colo.

Diva: A Novel by Daisy Goodwin (‎St. Martin's Press, $29, 9781250279927). "Readers get behind the scenes of Maria Callas's life and her complicated relationships. She'd hoped to marry Aristotle Onassis, but instead he wed Jackie Kennedy. Callas ended up alone, even with all the money and accolades for her phenomenal soprano voice. This fictional portrait takes some creative license, but that doesn't detract from this well-researched portrait of an international superstar." --Sandra Meyers, Frankford Public Library, Del.

The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years: A Novel by Shubnum Khan (Viking, $28, 9780593653456). "Hoping for a fresh start after tragedy, Sana and her father move into a South African apartment building with a host of quirky neighbors. Sana becomes fascinated by the story of Meena, a former resident when it was the estate of a wealthy troubled family. A lonely girl, a heartbroken djinn, and long-buried secrets come together in this gorgeously gothic tale of love and grief." --Mara Bandy Fass, Champaign Public Library, Ill.

The Clinic: A Novel by Cate Quinn (Sourcebooks Landmark, $27.99, 9781464216213). "Meg enters an exclusive rehab facility undercover after the supposed suicide of her sister. In the process, she exposes some ugly truths about people who profess to have her best interests at heart. Quinn does a terrific job creating quirky characters and keeping readers guessing. The unexpected twists and eerie location make this a great pick for readers in the mood for atmospheric suspense!" --Michelle Meeks, Wetumpka Public Library, Ala.

Come and Get It by Kiley Reid (Putnam, $29, 9780593328200). "Millie is a 24-year-old RA in a dorm of typical college girls. All she wants is to get through her delayed senior year, start saving for a home to call her own, and find a good job for when she graduates. When she makes some increasingly bad choices, she puts all of that in jeopardy and has to face the fact that she may not like the person she is becoming." --Linda Quinn, LibraryReads Ambassador

Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect: A Novel by Benjamin Stevenson (‎Mariner, $30, 9780063279070). "Ernest is struggling to write his second book. He hits the jackpot, so to speak, when a murder is committed on a train hosting the literary festival he is attending. He now has his new topic and narrates this murder mystery. Full of quick dialogue, clever clues, and odd characters, this off-beat offering will be much fun for the right reader." --Crystal Faris, Kansas City Public Library, Mo.

Twenty-Seven Minutes: A Novel by Ashley Tate (Poisoned Pen Press, $16.99, 9781728278148). "A young woman died in a car accident while her brother Grant, who was driving, survived, along with another passenger. What really happened that evening is a mystery. Why did Grant wait so long to call for help--and what was his sister so angry about? Readers looking for a page-turning narrative with a strong sense of place will find this compulsive thriller a great read." --Carri Genovese, Indianapolis Public Library, Ind.

All Rhodes Lead Here: A Novel by Mariana Zapata (‎Avon, $18.99, 9780063325890). "Rhodes, the ultimate silver-fox grump, and bright ray of sunshine Aurora, are complete opposites in many ways. This gentle and sweet love story is built through action as the characters learn to trust each other. Including Rhodes's son Amos in the story adds a level of care between the couple by being the first thing they bond over." --Jordan Abitz, Pottawatomie Wabaunsee Regional Library, Kan.

photo: Peter Paredes

Geoff Ryman is a Canadian living in the U.K. whose stories and books have won some 18 awards, including the Arthur C. Clarke Award twice--for The Child Garden and Air--a Nebula Award, the BSFA Award for novel, story and other work, a World Fantasy Award and the Philip K. Dick Award. His ninth novel is HIM (Angry Robot, December 5, 2023), a retelling of the story of Jesus.

Handsell readers your book in 25 words or less:

A reverent but revolutionary novel called HIM about the life of Jesus. Jesus is a woman who wants to be thought of as a man.

On your nightstand now:

Ghost Stories of an Antiquary by M.R. James--simply the best ghost stories and a family favourite.

Paradise Lost by John Milton, illustrations by William Blake. Illustrations are important to me, from comics to tomes that are beautiful objects. Milton and William Blake are among my favourites.

Superman's Pal: Who Killed Jimmy Olsen? a graphic novel by Matt Fraction and Steve Lieber. What a Superman story should be--funny, sizzlingly paced, wildly original with contemporary settings and characters.

Favorite book when you were a child:

Alice in Wonderland, Treasure Island. It was hard to get books in rural Canada--we started getting books regularly through a book club, Junior Deluxe Editions. These were the first two that arrived. Brothers Grimm, Mowgli, they all followed. Less happily so did Heidi and Hans Brinker or The Silver Skates. At six, I wrote a song about Treasure Island, I was so inspired.

Your top five authors:

Jane Austen: Pride and Prejudice is still the angriest book I've ever read--at least when I read it as a young man.

Philip K. Dick: a latecomer to Dick, I love the emotion, can tolerate the plotlessness, did a fan stage version of The Transmigration of Timothy Archer.

Mark Twain: he did write SF.

Henry James: especially the short stories, which are so suspenseful.

T.S. Eliot: not that much to read, but I read what is there over and over, as it strikes me as truthful.

Book you've faked reading:

While deeply admiring it, I've never quite finished Ulysses by James Joyce.

Book you're an evangelist for:

The Raft by Fred Strydom: memory, guilt, broken identity, so South African without dealing directly with the elephant in the room.

Rhapsody of Blood by Roz Kaveney: five volumes, one work, a feast of fantasy, history, and warped humour.

Book you've bought for the cover:

Watership Down by Richard Adams--it had just been published and I didn't know what it was, but something told me that I had to read it.

Or any issue of McSweeney's that I have. One issue is a box that looks like a severed head. Another is held together by magnets not binding.

Book you hid from your parents:

Tell Me How Long the Train's Been Gone by James Baldwin--it had gay characters!

Book that changed your life:

Another Country by James Baldwin. Another novel with bisexual characters, another work by the irresistible Baldwin.

Favorite line from a book:

"Earth, the mother of roses, has many children" --the last line from a story ["The Dolphin and the Deep"] by Thomas Burnett Swann.

Five books you'll never part with:

My first hardback edition of The Lord of the Rings, sheer sentimental value associated with my puberty.

My two Storisende editions of work by James Branch Cabell, associated with friendship with fans and fannish organisations.

My illustrated 1865 three-volume translation by Edward William Lane of The Thousand and One Nights, a gorgeous present from my husband.

My 1948 illustrated edition of a translation of The Adventures of Marco Polo, associated with my parents and my first home in a small Canadian village.

Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament, edited by James B. Pritchard, where I first met Gilgamesh and much else besides, over 1,000 pages of translated tales, myths, laws, history, rituals and incantations, letters and songs. Associated with growing up all at once and making a new home of my own.

Four Quartets by T.S. Eliot--the one with all my notes.

Book you most want to read again for the first time:

The Worm Ouroboros by E.R. Eddison. Associated with a culture more rooted in books--I found it in a drugstore circular book rack.

A favorite lesser-known author:

Thomas Burnett Swann, especially the novelette that appeared in Fantasy and Science Fiction, "The Manor of Roses."

Antwan Eady's The Last Stand, illustrated by Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey (The Old Truck), tells the openhearted story of a boy and his grandfather, and pays loving tribute to Black farmers in the U.S. On Saturdays, the boy, who reveres his Papa, helps him harvest fruits and eggs that they place in sweetgrass baskets made by Granny, load their blue pickup truck, and haul it all to the farmer's market where his grandfather has the last remaining stand: "It wasn't always this way. A year ago, there were two. The year before, five."

In his closing author's note, which succinctly illustrates the racism and discrimination Black farmers in this country have faced and the "food apartheids" with which many people still struggle, Eady (Nigel and the Moon) describes the story, in part, as a "love better" to Black farmers and the towns they serve. Here, it's a tight-knit community of regulars at the farmer's market. There's Ms. Rosa, Mr. Johnny, and Mrs. Brown, the latter to whom Papa and the boy deliver baskets of plums on their way home. Readers spot the phrase "SUPPORT BLACK FARMERS" on several spreads--on the bumper sticker on the back of Papa's truck, and on signs that lay sideways in his barn. When Papa is too tired one day to harvest, deliver, and sell, the capable boy does it all himself, and community members load the boy's wagon with gifts for Papa. Eady even gives readers a glimpse into the boy's encouraging future on the final page.

The Pumphreys, who use a mix of traditional (handmade stamps) and digital media to create their illustrations, animate the story with vivid tableaux marked by crisp colors, appealing textures, and uncluttered compositions. Eady fills the text, plainspoken and evocative at turns, with pleasing alliteration and a steady rhythm, making this a good choice for emerging readers (particularly since many sentences are short): "On Saturdays, we harvest, Papa and I. Papa gathers peppers, plums, and pumpkins. I collect the eggs." The watchful boy makes note of signs of Papa's aging, astute and refreshing observations in a world that would rather erase gray hair and wrinkles. The boy, seeing Papa's "black and wrinkled" hands, acknowledges that "each wrinkle tells me a story," as do Papa's slow movements and his "dusty and bumpy" driveway. He knows the stories are worth heeding. The lucky readers who pick up this book can be part of them too. --Julie Danielson, reviewer and copyeditor

Shelf Talker: The Last Stand is an openhearted story of a boy and his grandfather, which pays loving tribute to Black farmers in the U.S.